Daily Readings - 15/06/2026

^21:1 This is what happened next: Naboth of Jezreel had a vineyard close by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria,

^21:2 and Ahab said to Naboth, ‘Give me your vineyard to be my vegetable garden, since it adjoins my house; I will give you a better vineyard for it or, if you prefer, I will give you its worth in money’.

^21:3 But Naboth answered Ahab, ‘Yahweh forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors!’

^21:4 Ahab went home gloomy and out of temper at the words of Naboth of Jezreel, ‘I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers’. He lay down on his bed and turned his face away and refused to eat.

^21:5 His wife Jezebel came to him. ‘Why are you so dispirited’ she said ‘that you will not eat?’

^21:6 He said, ‘I have been speaking to Naboth of Jezreel; I said: Give me your vineyard either

^21:7 Then his wife Jezebel said, ‘You make a fine king of Israel, and no mistake! Get up and eat; cheer up, and you will feel better; I will get you the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel myself.’

^21:8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, sending them to the elders and nobles who lived where Naboth lived.

^21:9 In the letters she wrote, ‘Proclaim a fast, and put Naboth in the forefront of the people.

^21:10 Confront him with a couple of scoundrels who will accuse him like this, “You have cursed God and the king” Then take him outside and stone him to death.’

^21:11 The men of Naboth’s town, the elders and nobles who lived in his town, did what Jezebel ordered, what was written in the letters she had sent them.

^21:12 They proclaimed a fast and put Naboth in the forefront of the people.

^21:13 Then the two scoundrels came and stood in front of him and made their accusation, ‘Naboth has cursed God and the king’. They led him outside the town and stoned him to death.

^21:14 They then sent word to Jezebel, ‘Naboth has been stoned to death’.

^21:15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, ‘Get up! Take possession of the vineyard which Naboth of Jezreel would not give you for money, for Naboth is no longer alive, he is dead.’

^21:16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel and take possession of it.

^5:1 Yahweh, let my words come to your ears, spare a thought for my sighs.

^5:2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God! I say this prayer to you,

^5:3 Yahweh, for at daybreak you listen for my voice. and at dawn I hold myself in readiness for you, I watch for you.

^5:4 You are not a God who is pleased with wickedness, you have no room for the wicked;

^5:5 boasters collapse under your scrutiny. You hate all evil men,

^5:6 liars you destroy; murderers and frauds Yahweh detests.

^5:7 But I, so great is your love, may come to your house, and before your holy Temple bow down in reverence to you.

^5:8 Yahweh, lead me in the path of your righteousness, for there are men lying in wait for me; make your way plain before me.

^5:9 Not a word from their lips can be trusted, deep within them lies ruin, their throats are yawning graves; they make their tongues so smooth!

^5:10 Pronounce them guilty, God, make their intrigues their own downfall! Hound them for their countless crimes, since they have rebelled against you.

^5:11 But joy for all who take shelter in you, endless shouts of joy! Since you protect them, they exult in you, those who love your name.

^5:12 It is you who bless the virtuous man, Yahweh; your favour is like a shield covering him.

^5:38 ‘You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.[*j]

^5:39 But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well;

^5:40 if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

^5:41 And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him.

^5:42 Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.